1.
Cathedral of Our Lady (Antwerp)
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The Cathedral of Our Lady is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium. Todays see of the Diocese of Antwerp started in 1352 and, in Gothic style, its architects were Jan and Pieter Appelmans. It contains a number of significant works by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, as well as paintings by such as Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer. The belfry of the cathedral is included in the Belfries of Belgium, where the cathedral now stands, there was a small chapel of Our Lady from the 9th to the 12th century, which acquired the status of parish church in 1124. During the course of the century, it was replaced by a larger Romanesque church. In 1352, construction was begun on a new Our Lady’s church which would become the largest Gothic church in the Netherlands, in the beginning, it was to be provided with two towers of equal height. In 1521, after nearly 170 years, the new church of Our Lady was ready, the south tower reached only as far as the third string course. During the night of 5–6 October 1533, the new church was gutted by fire. The completion of the tower was therefore delayed, which led to its ultimate postponement. Moreover, the church only became cathedral of the bishopric of Antwerp in 1559 but lost this title again from 1801 to 1961, during the Iconoclasm of 20 August 1566, Protestants destroyed a large part of the cathedral interior. Later, when Antwerp came under Protestant administration in 1581, a number of treasures were once again destroyed, removed or sold. The restoration of Roman Catholic authority came in 1585 with the fall of Antwerp, in 1794 the French revolutionaries who conquered the region plundered Our Lady’s Cathedral and inflicted serious damage. Around 1798, the French administration intended to demolish the building but after each blow, in 1816, various important works of art were returned from Paris, including three Rubens masterpieces. And over the course of the 19th century, the church was restored and refurnished. Between 1965 and 1993, a restoration took place. At the beginning of the 15th century, the choir started developing an active musical life, and as a result. Johannes Ockeghem, one of the most important composers of the 15th century, served here as a vicar-singer in 1443, from 1725 to 1731 Willem de Fesch served as Kapelmeester followed from 1731 to 1737 by Joseph-Hector Fiocco. Lesser known, but locally important figures, such as Jacobus Barbireau and Andreas Pevernage, the churchs one finished spire is 123 metres high, the highest church tower in the Benelux

2.
Church of Saint-Maclou
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The Church of Saint-Maclou is a Roman Catholic church in Rouen, France, which is considered one of the best examples of the Flamboyant style of Gothic architecture in France. Saint-Maclou, along with Rouen Cathedral, the Palais de Justice, and its spire reaches a height of 83 meters. Construction on Saint-Maclou began sometime after 1435, it was to replace an existing Romanesque parish church that had suffered several years of neglect resulting in a collapsed transept roof. In its place, master mason Pierre Robin created a basilica church with four radiating chapels around an octagonal choir. The decoration of the church is macabre, beckoning back to the churchs grim past rooted in the Black Death pandemic, the transept is non-projecting complete with piers that support the above lantern tower. The choir is rather large in size for the structure and has two bays and four radiating chapels that branch off from the ambulatory, overall, the plan places its emphasis on the transept which is midway between the choir and the nave. Saint-Maclou has the classic three-story elevation of an arcade, triforium, the famous western facade is towerless with five gabled porches with flying buttresses above the aisles that are attached to the western wall featuring a rose window. The Church of Saint Maclou was built during the transition from the late Gothic period to the Renaissance in the 16th century, the space above a portal within the arch is referred to as the tympanum. Typically, the tympanum is filled with sculpture of a scene alluding to Heaven and this message, commonly depicted during the Gothic period, was designed to scare and evoke emotion from the public. The architectural plan of the church of Saint-Maclou includes radiating chapels, Saint-Maclou, like most Gothic churches, had many exterior stone statues, however, they suffered much of the French wars of religion, weather conditions, and pollution. Most inside statues disappeared during the French revolution, nevertheless, the chapels inside had kept their wooden furniture and decorations made in the 18th century, but most of them were destroyed during the allied bombings in 1944. The church was damaged by the falling of two bombs. Concerning the Renaissance outside doors with their carvings and the Renaissance organ, the patrons of Saint-Maclou were of the wealthy merchant class that had experienced an immense social and economic growth during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The family most closely associated with the rebuilding of the church was the Dufour family, the patrons were responsible for the selection of the master mason, Pierre Robin, as well as for part of the overall style of the church. The Dufours and others are cited as being the impetus behind the similarities between Saint-Maclou and Rouen Cathedral, Linda Elaine Neagley, Elegant Simplicity, The Late Gothic Design of St. -Maclou in Rouen, The Art Bulletin, Vol.74, No. Http, //www. jstor. org/stable/990382 Linda Elaine Neagley, Late Gothic Architecture and Vision, Representation, Scenography, Linda Elaine Neagley, Disciplined Exuberance, The Parish Church of Saint-Maclou and Late Gothic Architecture in Rouen. University Park, Penn, The Pennsylvania State University Press,1998, media related to Église Saint-Maclou de Rouen at Wikimedia Commons

3.
Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo
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The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is a church in Bergamo, Northern Italy. The church was founded in 1137 on the site of church from the 8th century dedicated to St Mary. The high altar was consecrated in 1185 and in 1187 the presbytery, due to financial troubles, the works dragged for the whole 13th–14th centuries. The bell tower was built from 1436, while in 1481–1491 a new sacristy added after the old one had been destroyed by Bartolomeo Colleoni to erect his personal mausoleum, in 1521, Pietro Isabello finished the south-western portal, also known as Porta della Fontana. The edifice was restored and modified in the 17th century, the church opens on the square on its own left side, as the main façade has no entrance, being once united to the Bishops Palace. The external appearance has largely maintained its Lombard Romanesque origins, the church can be accessed by two entrances by Giovanni da Campione and by Isabellos Porta della Fontana. The main apse is crowned by a loggia surmounted by two frieze with geometrical and vegetables patterns, and has arcades with semi-columns. The latters capitals have also vegetable themes, with the exception of one, the transepts apses have a structure similar to the main one. Notable is Giovanni da Campiones porch in the transept, which is supported by columns departing from lions in Veronese marble. The arch has a frieze with hunting scenes, while the vault is decorated by polychrome lozenges, a loggia houses statues of St Barbara, St Vincent and St Alexander. The columns are supported by lions in white marble and it has reliefs with Christ Crowned by Saints and Birth of the Baptist. Isabellos Renaissance porch has, in the lunette, a fresco of Marys Nativity attributed to Andrea Previtali, on the walls are tapestries, partly executed in Florence under Alessandro Alloris design, partly of Flemish manufacture, depicting the Life of Mary. Over the tapestry of the Crucifixion is a painting by Luca Giordano, left to the entrance is the sepulchre of Cardinal Guglielmo Longhi, work by Ugo da Campione. On the rear wall are the tomb of the composer Gaetano Donizetti, by Vincenzo Vela, at the beginning of the left aisle is the Baroque confessional carved by Andrea Fantoni in 1704. A crucifix from the 14th century is on the presbyterys balaustrade, in the presbytery itself, housing six bronze candelabra from 1597, is a wooden choir designed by Bernardo Zenale and Andrea Previtali. The reliefs with Biblical tales were executed in 1524–1555 on designs by Lorenzo Lotto and they are characterized by a polychrome effect rendered through the use of different wood types. The right transepts has Giottesque frescoes from an unknown artist, with Histories of St Aegidius, The Last Supper and the Tree of Life, partially covered by a 17th-century fresco

Cathedral of Our Lady (Antwerp)
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The Cathedral of Our Lady is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium. Todays see of the Diocese of Antwerp started in 1352 and, in Gothic style, its architects were Jan and Pieter Appelmans. It contains a number of significant works by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, as well as paintings by such as Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer. The

1.
Cathedral of Our Lady

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Artist vision of the completed cathedral (18th century)

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Main nave

Church of Saint-Maclou
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The Church of Saint-Maclou is a Roman Catholic church in Rouen, France, which is considered one of the best examples of the Flamboyant style of Gothic architecture in France. Saint-Maclou, along with Rouen Cathedral, the Palais de Justice, and its spire reaches a height of 83 meters. Construction on Saint-Maclou began sometime after 1435, it was to

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Aerial view showing west façade and lantern tower

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West porch and façade

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West porch and façade after cleaning in 2014

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View from the southwest

Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo
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The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is a church in Bergamo, Northern Italy. The church was founded in 1137 on the site of church from the 8th century dedicated to St Mary. The high altar was consecrated in 1185 and in 1187 the presbytery, due to financial troubles, the works dragged for the whole 13th–14th centuries. The bell tower was built from